Every other weekend, Dartmouth High School senior Vicky DaSilva puts on a uniform and leads over 30 kids in military drills at Camp Edwards on Joint Base Cape Cod.

The 17-year-old is this year’s Leading Petty Officer for the US Navy’s local Sea Cadets program, which teaches kids aged 13-17 leadership, aviation, and seamanship skills.

“At first, my mom wanted to put my brother into the program...He ended up hating it,” she laughed. “He is not a fan of people telling him what to do.”

When she was 13, DaSilva joined the program too, although she admitted at first she had little interest in the military. 

“I just thought ‘Oh, I want to get a uniform!’” she said with a smile. “I ended up really loving the program.”

Now chosen as the student leader, DaSilva is responsible for running drills and carrying out inspections, following orders from adult officers and directing her two squad leaders. 

She said she hopes to eventually become a psychologist in the Marines. “I’ve always liked helping people,” she said. “And my friends always come to me for advice.”

The Sea Cadets — along with younger sibling the League Cadets, a program for kids aged 10-13 — teaches children about aviation and aircraft, radio, seamanship, navigation, naval history, leadership, and military basics. 

They also get the chance to participate in hands-on training trips aboard a variety of Navy and Coast Guard vessels as well as train with Navy SEALs.

Many graduates of the program end up in the military afterwards, although there is no obligation to join,  noted Sea Cadets Commanding Officer Jim McLoughlin. 

“I have graduates in all walks of life,” he said. “You name the career field, and we have former cadets in it.”

“A lot of kids come into the program not really knowing what they want to do,” DaSilva explained. “And as we have the airman classes and seamanship classes, they kind of navigate their way.”

New recruits typically go through two weeks of “boot camp” during the summer.

“I loved boot camp,” said DaSilva. “A lot of people hated it. You sleep there and eat there, and you wake up at five in the morning to do PT. You got yelled at a lot...showers are 30 seconds.”

But DaSilva said she enjoys a challenge. “I like pushing myself,” she noted.

McLoughlin said that due to Covid, this year’s boot camp was cut short, with some training opportunities cancelled and others offered online.

This year’s program also had to move to Camp Edwards from its usual location at the Mass. Maritime Academy in Bourne due to Covid safety restrictions for indoor space.

“When we came back together in September, just the social piece, just being together felt so good,” he said, adding that although the pandemic situation is difficult, “We’re making it work.”

And while DaSilva missed out on some of her training to take over as leader during the shutdown — “At first I was super stressed,” she said — she is growing into the role.

“I think it’s going pretty well,” she said with a smile.

McLoughlin agreed. “She’s really finding her voice,” he said, adding that the purpose of the program is to give the students “intangibles” like teamwork, self discipline, and responsibility.

“It’s to make them better citizens,” he said. 

“I just like the fact that it allows you to push yourself,” said DaSilva of being a Sea Cadet. “It’s an experience that you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”